What is the Best Rice for Dogs, Which Rice to Choose

Rice is very easy to prepare and digest that is why even paw babies love to eat too! In this post I will answer all the questions regarding rice concerns like is it safe to feed or not, its health benefits and finally what is the best rice for dogs. Enjoy!

Why Rice?

Rice has a deep and rich history with lots of benefits that studies claim that feeding rice to dogs can also be good. Keeping our dogs healthy is one of our primary concerns especially on their food intake.

The right food combination and source are the keys to healthy and happy pets.

Dogs are naturally carnivores or meat-lovers; however they also need to have the right amount of carbohydrates, protein, fiber, and other vitamins that can be found on rice.

If you want to know what is the healthiest rice for a man, click the link.

Is Rice Good for Dogs?

Because rice is a staple at the dinner table, every pet owner usually asks this question if they can give some to their pets. The main concern of eating rice is the contaminants present in rice grains like arsenic which we often fear that it can affect our dogs too.

However, rice is just FINE if given to our best pals according to toxicologists and most veterinarians. Both white and brown rice are actually two of the best variety you can give but that is according to the nutritional table.

If you are already feeding rice to your dog or planning to do so then make sure you know the limits and proper preparation because excessive rice intake can also be harmful. Read along to find out.

White Rice vs. Brown Rice

Brown rice is believed to be the best kind of rice for dogs because of the great nutritional benefits it can give; however, even white rice can be fine as well depending on the kind of nutrients your pets require.

White Rice

Feeding dogs white rice is good when they are sick or having upset tummies because white rice is soft, easy to digest and it provides good source of energy from carbohydrates that is essential for older dog’s regular diet. Apart from that, white rice is easier and faster to prepare anytime.

How to Cook White Rice

Based upon your dog’s needs, you can easily prepare white rice using rice cookers or pots at home according to the feeding instructions.

• Boil a cup of white rice and add in 4 cups of water
• Cook for 20-30 minutes
• Fluff the rice with a fork when the water is almost gone and let sit.
• Mix white rice with equal parts of meat or dog food

White rice is cheaper than brown rice and is also packed with good benefits:

• Cures stomach problems
• Fights skin disease
• Rich in Vitamin D
• Helps boost good bacteria
• Rich in minerals (thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, iron, and more)

Brown Rice

Brown rice does not undergo a lot of processing compared to white rice which makes it healthier in the sense that the nutrients are still intact.

This rice variety is packed with carbohydrates, fiber, protein, less fat, and other vitamins and minerals. Because of the overwhelming benefits of brown rice, it is considered to be the best type of rice for dogs.

Brown rice has several other varieties as well; whatever type of brown rice you prefer to use, what matters most is the preparation. Brown rice is chewier and needs more water when cooking compared to white rice.

Some also use germinated brown rice which provides more GABA (Gama-amino butyric acid) compared to the regular brown rice only. To prepare brown rice, you can use advanced rice cookers with brown rice cooking options.

Benefits of Brown Rice for Dogs

Rice is undeniably a good source of carbohydrates which gives a balanced dog meal. Carbohydrates provide energy that can help boost our pets all throughout the day. Brown rice contains almost all the vital nutrients needed.

Brown rice has the following benefits:

• Lowers allergy risks
• Aids in easy digestion
• Less risk of diabetes
• Normalizes blood sugar levels
• Fiber enriched to fight constipation
• Gain weight for skinny dogs
• Low sodium
• Less fat
• Less risk for Alzheimer’s disease

How much rice to give?

You can at least feed a small portion of rice to your dogs for 2-3 times a week to be safe. Altering their diet without the vet’s recommendation will also have negative impacts on their well-being.

Points to Ponder

Each dog’s nutritional requirements vary; some may require more starch which is found mostly on white rice while some need more protein and fiber which are found in brown rice. Do not just feed your dogs brown rice because you have read that it is the best type.

You have to consider other health factors like allergies. Below are some of the things you need to remember when feeding rice to dogs:

• Uncooked or overcooked rice is not good for dogs
• Some dogs have allergic reactions to grains that may cause: hair loss, ear infections, and itchiness
• Never mix cooked rice and raw meat because this will cause indigestion
• Only feed dogs at the rate of 30% minimum carbohydrates contents (including vegetables)

It is better to consult your veterinarians first if rice is good for your type of dog and what rice is the best to feed.

Keep it as treat

Like us, rice also gives a lot of nutritional value in dog’s health but the only thing we need to consider is to be selective with the rice origin and its process. Rice is good for dogs if kept at a minimum amount so always consider rice as a treat and not a meal.

So What is the Best Rice for Dogs

Our pets deserve proper food and maintenance to keep them healthy and happy just like us. There are a lot of ready-made dog foods that also contain rice combined with other essential meat, vegetables, and other natural ingredients needed by our pets.

If you need to feed them rice then do it at the minimum and only give the best quality according to their health needs.